Better Together
by Kuroneko-sama07
Summary: Set post-manga/Brotherhood. After returning from his travels in the west, Ed and Winry begin to explore their changing relationship as well as the trials and tribulations that come along with it.
1. Chapter 1

**Better Together**

By: Brittany (Kuroneko-sama07)

Rated: T

A/N: OK, I can't believe I'm attempting to do this... I'm writing a chapter fic! God, I hope this isn't a complete fail. xD Anyway, this is set post-manga/Brotherhood. After returning from his travels in the west, Ed and Winry begin to explore their changing relationship as well as the trials and tribulations that come along with it. And honestly, don't expect some huge, intricate plot here - this is really going to be mostly slice-of-life. But I'm not going to let it get boring, I promise!

Also, the title as well as the story was inspired by the song "Better Together" by Jack Johnson.

This is mostly EdWin, but there will be slight AlMei to come. Also, that T rating may have to become a M at some point... not 100% sure of that, but we'll see! Anyway, please enjoy chapter 1!

* * *

**Chapter One - "There's no combination of words I could say"**

_"I'll give you half of my life, so give me half of yours!"_

Just the memory of those words coming out of his own mouth were enough to leave Ed flushed and embarrassed. He still couldn't believe he had actually said that. God, he was such an idiot, throwing equivalent exchange at her like that! He really was an alchemy geek, as she so loved calling him, and he couldn't even perform it anymore!

Sighing, he leaned his head against the train window, mindlessly gazing at the blurring landscape. How long had it been since he had last seen her? He really couldn't remember. He'd been traveling in the west for almost a year, but he had checked back in with her a couple of times for leg maintenance.

Winry had spent most of the year finishing her apprenticeship in Rush Valley. She had mailed him a letter a few months ago happily announcing her accomplishment, and Ed couldn't help but smile when he received it, especially when he read her postscript: "I miss you". That's when he had decided to start wrapping his trip up. Although he had been keeping very busy with meeting new people and learning new things, he'd be lying if he said his thoughts hadn't trailed to her more than just occasionally. No, he definitely missed her. He constantly thought about her and wished that she had been with him seeing those new sights.

Hell, here he was on a train to see her and he couldn't stop thinking about her. This had to stop. If it didn't, he'd be a blushing, stammering idiot when he finally got off the train to see her. _Think... think about something else!_ _Alphonse! _Yes, Alphonse was to be on his way back to Amestris in a few weeks. Ed couldn't wait to see his brother again and hear about everything he'd learned in Xing. But...in his recent letter, Al had mentioned that he might be bringing the little bean-sprout girl back with him who, according to Al, was no longer the size of a bean-sprout. Apparently, as Al had gushed in his letters, Mei had quite the figure now. Well, regardless of what Al said, Ed thought there was no way any girl would have a figure as nice as Winry's.

Ed abruptly shook his head as unwanted images of a scantily clad Winry filled his mind. Well, they were _wanted_ but not now! Not when he was on a train filled with people who may or may not be mind-readers.

His thoughts trailed back to that fateful day at the train station, and this time her words were ringing in his ears.

_"You want half? I'll give you all of it." _

Was she serious? He didn't know why he still wondered that; of course she had meant what she said. But, what did she really mean by that, exactly? Ed's thoughts went to the small, velvet box that rested safely in his suitcase. He hoped she meant what he thought she did.

* * *

When the train blew its whistle and slowly pulled into the station, Ed sat up groggily, realizing that he had dozed off. Seeing the familiar surroundings through the window, he knew he had finally made it back to Risembool. The train came to a complete halt, so Ed grabbed his belongings and dashed out onto the platform. He didn't try to find Winry in the small crowd; she had no idea he was returning, so she wouldn't be there.

As he began his trek up the winding dirt roads leaving the train station in the background, his nerves started taking over. Suddenly, he regretted not letting her know he was coming. What if she wasn't even there? She had said in her letter that she would be returning to Risembool, but that was a couple of months ago. Her life didn't revolve around him after all, did it? Ed desperately tried to shake his nerves off as he began nearing the old yellow house. Of course she would be there. This was her home, and it was his, too.

Den spotted him coming up the road and instantly ran to him, barking and wagging her tail so enthusiastically that her whole bottom was wiggling. Ed laughed at the greeting, ruffled her hair, and then decided to race the old dog up to the house. Den beat him there.

Panting slightly and chuckling, Ed made his way up the steps on the front porch only to be met with Granny Pinako who had just stepped outside for a smoke break.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged back in," Pinako said with a smile as she took a puff on her pipe.

Ed, who had been wearing a smile when he first saw her, now frowned at the elderly woman. "Nice to see you, too, you old hag."

Pinako just chuckled as she continued to smoke. "Well, you're just not as fun since I can't make fun of your height anymore."

"Damn right, you can't make fun of me anymore!" Ed shouted but a small smile was now creeping onto his face. "You're just mad 'cause you look like a dwarf next to me now."

Pinako snorted but before she could shoot back with another insult, a wrench came flying down from the balcony above and smacked Edward on the side of his head.

"Ed!" came Winry's sharp yell. "How many times have I told you to call first? We're really swamped right now, and -"

"Relax!" He yelled back, gripping his head in pain. "I'm not here for maintenance!"

"Oh," she replied quietly, feeling a little guilty now for throwing the wrench at him. "Well, you still could have called!"

* * *

Yawning and feeling full from dinner, Ed lazily plopped down on the bench on the front porch and watched the sun fall beneath the horizon.

"Ed, did you feed Den already?" Winry asked as she poked her head out the front door.

"Yeah, Granny told me to earlier."

"Oh, alright. Just making sure." For a minute, she stood in the doorway and just looked at him. Frowning, she moved out onto the porch and sat down beside him. "Are you sure you aren't here for me to check on your automail?"

"I'm sure! There's nothing wrong with it!" Edward frowned as well. He knew what she was getting at - she wanted to know exactly why he had returned unannounced and she wasn't going to let it go until he gave her an answer that satisfied her.

"Well, I still want to check it before you leave again. Just in case," she said calmly as her gaze turned to the setting sun. Ed couldn't believe his ears - was she actually letting it go? He didn't have to explain himself any further? He could just leave it at that, couldn't he?

_No... _He had to say something. She thought he was just visiting, and his conscience couldn't just let her believe that when it wasn't true.

Inhaling and returning his gaze to the horizon, he began, "I'm not leaving... at least, not anytime soon." As soon as those words were spoke, he could feel Winry's eyes on him, and he was glad he had looked away before speaking. Sometimes he just couldn't handle those eyes, and this night - with the crickets chirping in the background and a multi-colored sky surrounding them and their close proximity to one another - was one of those times.

"Really?" she asked excitedly as she took his hand in hers and squeezed it. "Oh, Ed, I'm so glad! I... I've missed you." She spoke that last part softly, but Ed caught it and he couldn't help but to bring his eyes back to hers. Winry inched closer to him and laced her fingers with his, and Ed gently squeezed her hand in return. He couldn't keep the slight blush from rising onto his cheeks as he leaned in closer and kissed her lightly. Even though this wasn't the first time they had kissed, it still seemed that his heart skipped a beat with every time. He would never tell anyone, but he silently hoped that that would never change.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "I've missed you, too, Win."

* * *

A/N: So, not much happened here, but there should be more excitement in the next chapter - Al and Mei should be returning! Anyway, I'm honestly not sure how far this story's gonna go. I have the next 2 chapters mapped out, but after that, it's kinda up in the air. I'll just have to see where this story takes me! Well, thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think and I hope you'll look forward to the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Better Together**

A/N: Yay, I'm back with chapter 2! I'm excited. ;D And so many people added this story to their alerts already! Thanks you guys! I really hope I don't disappoint... xD Oh, as you can see, I added titles to the chapters now (and they're lines from the song). :)

Also, I want to give my thoughts on something from the first chapter - I mentioned that that wasn't the first time Ed and Winry kissed. Basically, even though I don't think anything major (like sex) happened between them during those two years after the Promised Day, I do think there was probably some flirting and kissing. Some people disagree and think they never kissed because otherwise, he would have kissed her at the train station. But, I mean, we're talking about Ed here. The station was a public place, there could have been people around - there was just no way he was going to kiss her there. xD Besides, even though FMA doesn't take place in our world, it does take place in a seemingly old-fashioned time period, so kissing in public might not have been a good idea.

OK, enough rambling! Just wanted to share my thoughts. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Two - "We're somewhere in between together"**

The next few weeks spent at the Rockbell house went by as they always did. Winry kept fairly busy with appointments; Granny Pinako did the same as well keeping up with daily errands; and Edward was of course forced by both of the women to fulfill a multitude of chores. They were working women, and as long as he was going to be in their household, there was no chance that Ed was just going to be lazing around. Fortunately, he didn't mind it too much. It made the days pass quicker and thus, the closer it was to Alphonse's and Mei's arrival.

Of course, Ed had immediately revealed the news of their upcoming arrival to Winry, who, to his dismay, wasn't in the least bit surprised.

_"I figured that," she said nonchalantly. _

_"What's that supposed to mean? And, why are you not more surprised?" Ed couldn't help but be slightly offended. He thought that Al and Mei being together now was big news but apparently not. _

_"I spent a good deal of time with those two after we left Briggs. Trust me, Ed, I knew this was coming. Al isn't like you - he wouldn't take _forever_ to confess to a girl," she replied matter-of-factly as she went about her work and left a very disgruntled Edward. _

Ed still couldn't believe she had said that to him. Didn't she have any idea how hard it was to confess to her? He supposed that no matter what, Winry would always find a way to take a jab at him for something.

Clearing his thoughts, Ed tried to refocus on his task at hand: repainting the "Rockbell Automail" sign outside the house. As he traced over the faded lettering with thick, fresh paint, he noticed out of the corner of his eye two figures coming up the road. Immediately, he threw down his paintbrush because he knew it was them.

"Brother!" Al shouted and waved as they neared. Even Mei was waving excitedly as they jogged up to the house, and Ed noticed she had Xaoi Mei on her shoulder.

Ed grinned and almost lost his balance when Al ran up and grabbed him for a hug. "Okay, okay, Al!" Ed exclaimed, "geez! You've gotten so damn big!"

Pulling away, Al smirked. "You mean 'tall'."

"Whatever." Ed frowned at the slight height difference between he and his younger brother. Changing the subject, he looked to Mei. "Hey there, Bean-sprout." Then, the banter began.

"I'm not that little! You can't call me that anymore!"

"You're still smaller than me."

"I'm a girl, you dummy!"

"Irrelevant."

Al just slapped his hand to his forehead, but thankfully, Winry walked up behind them and grabbed Ed by his ear, shutting him up but leaving a prominent scowl on his face.

"Sorry, Mei," Winry said with a smile. "I promise I won't let him torture you the whole time you're here. Now, come on, you guys - come inside!"

* * *

Winry smiled at Mei as they sat silently sipping fresh-brewed tea that her grandmother had prepared for all of them just moments ago. Pinako hadn't shown it, but she was thrilled that Al had brought a girlfriend back with him, hoping that this meant the two boys were finally ready to settle down.

But, Ed and Al couldn't stop talking to each other about all the new things they had learned long enough to even notice anything else that was going on. The three women didn't really mind, though. They all expected that this is what it would be like when the two were finally reunited, anyway.

"Al, you gotta read over some of these research books I found. Come on, they're upstairs; I'll show you," Ed said enthusiastically as he and his brother jumped up from the table clutching their cups of tea and rushing out of the dining room. However, after just a few seconds, Al popped back into the room.

"Oh, sorry, Mei," he said sheepishly as he walked over to where she sat at the table. "I'll be right back, I promise." Smiling, Al picked up her hand and squeezed it gently.

"It's fine, Alphonse! You go on ahead," she said with a smile in return. "You can tell me what all you find out later."

"Definitely!" Al exclaimed as released her hand and once again rushed out of the room.

Winry couldn't help but smile at that scene, but she also couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy tugging at her. The two of them seemed so comfortable and natural with each other, but how was that possible? They hadn't been together that long at all. Winry and Ed had been around each other their whole lives, and yet, it seemed like their relationship was filled more with awkward moments than pleasant ones. And, Ed would have _never_ held her hand like that in front of everyone, and even if he did, she probably would have slapped him away in embarassment. How could Al and Mei do it so easily?

"So, Mei," Pinako began. "You and Alphonse seem pretty close."

"Oh, well, yes ma'am," Mei replied as a slight blush appeared on her cheeks and a dreamy expression filled her face. "Al is the kindest person I have ever met! He told me that you mostly raised him, and for that Ms. Pinako, I am so grateful. It must be because of you that he is such a gentleman!"

Winry grinned at Mei's exclamation. She was still as passionate as ever.

"Well, I suppose as long as one of them ended up that way, I didn't do too bad of a job," replied Pinako with a chuckle. The two young girls chimed in with laughter as well.

* * *

"Ugh, Winry... it's hot! Do we really have to go on a picnic today?" Ed whined. The four young adults had only just started their short walk to the river, and Ed was already feeling the sweat beads form on his brow.

"Yes!" Winry declared with a frown. "You two have been locked up in your room for days now. A little fresh air and sunshine won't kill you."

"You're not the one with the automail! And you're also conveniently not the one lugging this damn basket! Did you pack enough for the whole town?" Ed exclaimed, but his frown deepened when Winry just ignored him. He looked back to Alphonse, expecting his little brother to have his back but instead saw that he was chatting with Mei, their hands entwined. Ed decided to just resume his sulking until they made it to the river.

Finally, after what seemed like forever to an irritated, hot, and hungry Edward, the group made it there and picked out a nice spot in the shade to enjoy their lunch.

"So, Mei," Ed said after swallowing a bite of his sandwich, "how long are you planning to stay here?"

"Ed! Don't be rude!" Winry hissed and then smiled at Mei. "You can stay as long as you like."

"Well, I guess it's really up to Alphonse. I'm his guest and it's his home," Mei said with small shrug. "Although, I really don't want to have to leave him anytime soon!"

A warm smile spread across Al's face as he threw his arm around Mei's shoulders. "Don't worry, I don't want you leaving either. Like Winry said, you can stay as long as you like." Mei's face lit up and she gave Al a quick peck on the lips - the sight of which definitely caught both Edward and Winry off-guard.

"Alright, that's enough of that! You two are getting too touchy-feely!" Ed exclaimed dramatically, practically flailing his arms around in the air.

"Brother, what's the big deal? It was just a kiss, and it's not like we did it in front of Granny or anything," Al tried to reason; although, he should have known that would be pointless.

"Well, _I_ still don't wanna see it!"

"It's okay," Winry chimed in. "Ed's just a prude, you guys."

Ed was sure his jaw dropped to the ground at that remark, and Al and Mei couldn't hold back their giggling at the sight. Scowling, Ed crossed his arms over his chest. "I just love how I'm the butt of everyone's jokes around here," he said sarcastically.

"Oh, come on, Brother! Don't be mad. I've seen you kiss Winry before, and I didn't care!" Al said reassuringly in hopes of calming Ed down, but instead both Ed and Winry's faces immediately turned a shade of red.

"Al, how dare you spy on us!" Winry exclaimed. She had been on Al's side, but this was just too much.

Al threw his hands up in apology. "I'm sorry; I wasn't spying! Geez, I just don't understand why you two are so embarrassed by it!"

Ed and Winry just frowned, and an awkward silence fell over the group for a moment.

"Heh...um," Mei began sheepishly, "how about dessert?" Everyone quickly agreed, glad for the change of subject.

* * *

During the walk back to the Rockbell house, quietness returned to the group but this time it wasn't so awkward. Al and Mei led the way, hands linked together, and Winry and Ed walked side-by-side several steps behind.

After a few moments, Ed spoke softly to Winry. "I guess Al really likes her."

Winry nodded. "Yeah. I'm glad."

Ed sighed in reluctance. "Yeah, I am too, I guess."

"I'm a little jealous of them, really," Winry said with a small laugh. "They're so comfortable with each other."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I mean," she replied, her eyes downcast. "They express their feelings like it's no big deal. It makes me feel a little sad, actually. They haven't even been together that long, and here I am wondering if we'll ever be like them."

Ed resumed walking in silence for he couldn't bring himself to respond. He had nothing to say to that, really. He had felt as if he had filled Winry's heart with joy when he told her that he was home for good recently, but suddenly, he felt as if he was letting her down again. He gently grasped her hand and slipped his fingers between hers. It was a small gesture, he knew, but it was all he felt he could do at the moment.

Al threw a quick glance over his shoulder and smiled when he saw what he had been hoping for. _It's at least a step in the right direction_, he thought.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry this took me such a while, and it wasn't even that long or eventful. =/ Well, I'm at least setting the stage! I know some of it is just who they are, but Ed and Winry are going to have to tear down some of those walls surrounding them in order for this to work. ;D We'll just have to see what happens! And, at least I got to have quite a bit of AlMei in this one, so that's always good because they're adorable. Anyway, I'll try to be quicker with the next chapter, especially since I've decided to not make them that long! Thanks for reading; please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Better Together**

A/N: You guys, I'm sorry I'm such a slow writer. I have to literally stop myself from analyzing every sentence while writing. -_- But, at least I'm back with another chapter, even if it took way longer than it should have! Anyway, things are finally starting to get interesting in this story, and my T rating is finally coming in handy. Also, I've mapped out the next few chapters and I can safely say that we will be moving up to a M rating in the future. Don't worry, it's still several chapters away, but I just thought I'd let everyone know. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 3: "Sometimes life can be deceiving"**

Winry leaned back into the porch swing, gently rocking it as she did so, and watched as Ed and Al sparred out in the yard. Mei had offered to go into town with Pinako, since Winry was _supposed_ to be busy with automail orders, but instead here she was - out on the porch, relaxing. She deemed it "procrastinating," but really, she needed this little break. She had been having a hard time concentrating lately.

She watched as Ed and Al moved back and forth, dodging each other's moves, and she silently noticed that the boys didn't seem quite as quick on their feet as they used to be. They used to spar like their lives depended on it, but now, their movements were much more toned down. It was to be expected, though; they were both more involved in the research side of alchemy now, and Winry was glad for that. She definitely didn't have to worry about them as much anymore.

Still, as she watched them, she couldn't help but be reminded of old times. Even though she had always hated feeling left out by them, especially by Edward, when they were younger, she almost missed the simplicity of her and Ed's relationship. Back then, she was just concerned about helping him reach his goal by fixing and improving his automail. Sure, she had had feelings for him back then as well, but she figured that if anything was ever going to happen between them, it would one day, and there was no sense in worrying about it. So, she didn't.

But now, things had changed. They had confessed their feelings to one another, even embraced and shared a few kisses from time to time - she should be happy about that, right? Well, she was, but it seemed that with this new development came new issues as well. That was a proposal at the train station, wasn't it? She honestly wasn't so sure anymore. He hadn't mentioned it since then, and she didn't think that was normal behavior after a _marriage_ proposal. She was starting to think that maybe it hadn't been a marriage proposal at all; maybe he had just been expressing his feelings for her - maybe she had misinterpreted the whole thing.

And then, to add to her frustration, there was Al and Mei, being the perfect couple and seeming completely happy. She was glad for them; she truly was, but she just didn't understand it. What was so wrong with her and Edward?

Unfortunately for Winry, her reasonableness told her that she would never figure any of this out if she didn't just talk to him about it. She cringed at the thought of it - Winry was never one to talk about feelings - but it was obvious that Ed was never going to. She would just have to take charge, like always.

Heaving a loud sigh, she got up from the swing and proceeded to return indoors to get back to work. Little did she know, Ed had been curiously watching her from the corner of his eye the entire time she sat there. He froze mid-attack and turned to see her retreat inside the house, wondering what had been plaguing her thoughts so. He had a nagging thought that it had been him.

* * *

The two brothers collapsed beside each other onto the ground under a nearby tree, panting heavily and just glad to be under the cool shade after their workout session.

"Brother," Al said as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Aren't you going to go check on Winry?"

Ed cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "Huh? Check on her for what?"

"Ed, I saw you! You kept shooting glances over at her when she was out here. Seemed like you had something on your mind."

Ed threw his arms behind his head and groaned as he leaned back against the tree. "Ah, I don't know, Al. She's the one who seems like she has something on her mind. She should just speak up."

"Or, you could just ask her about it, _nicely_," Al said with a sigh.

Ed just groaned again in response. He didn't walk to "ask her about it" because if she was mad about something, it was probably something he did and then he'd be in for a wrench to the skull.

"You know, Brother, the two of you really make no sense. You both confessed to each other already - you even proposed to her - and yet, you act like just _talking_ to her is some huge deal!"

"Well, it is when a wrench could be involved!" Ed exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing ever. Confused, Al just looked at him and proceeded to shake his head in annoyance.

"There shouldn't be a reason for one if you talk to her nicely and reasonably!"

Naturally, Ed didn't buy that for a second. "Oh, trust me, Al. In her mind, there's always a reason for one."

Al sighed loudly in exasperation. "Listen, if I had to guess, I'd bet she's just upset that you're not showing her that much attention. The two of you are supposed to be 'together' now, but let's face it - most of the time, you both act like nothing ever changed. She's probably upset about it." Al shot a glance over at his brother who was wearing a deep frown and didn't look like he was listening; although, Al knew he was.

"Come on," Al said as he started to pull Ed up by his arm. "Let's just go inside and get something to drink." Ed's frown disappeared upon hearing that, and the two of them jumped up and made their way indoors.

* * *

Ed stood at the top of the basement stairs holding his glass of cold lemonade. He knew she was down there; he could see the light coming from the bottom of the stairs and hear the quiet clank of metal. He supposed he should just take Al's advice and go check on her... No, he wasn't _checking_ on her, he tried telling himself. He was just going to make sure she wasn't mad - that way, he could know whether or not to sleep with one eye open for fear of flying tools into his bedroom.

Groaning in reluctance, he made his way down the stairs and immediately saw Winry at her worktable with her back to him. She didn't turn to face him, but somehow, he knew that she knew he was there. He moved towards her and stood beside her desk.

"So, Winry, whatcha working on?" he asked, trying to start "casual" conversation.

Of course, she stopped working and eyed him suspiciously. "Just this piece for a customer. What do you want?"

"Nothing! Geez, I can't just check on you?" He couldn't believe he had just used Al's words, but he supposed they were somewhat appropriate.

"Check on me for what?" she questioned, becoming even more suspicious of him.

"Ah, I don't know! Fine, I'll just leave you alone!" he exclaimed as he turned to walk away. Anyway, he didn't think she was mad after all, so he could now spend the rest of his day in peace. But before he began up the stairs, he heard her voice.

"Ed... wait." She got up from her desk and walked towards him. Already her mind was telling her to just stop and don't go any further, but she knew she couldn't do that. She had to get this out. She had to _know_. He turned to face her-his questioning eyes told her his curiosity was piqued, which meant she couldn't turn back now even if she wanted to.

"I... I don't want you to take any of this the wrong way. I mean, I'm so glad you're here no matter what the circumstances - I've actually always felt that way, believe it or not," she added with a small chuckle. He smiled back, and he really did believe what she said. In fact, he was pretty sure that fighting with him was one of the reasons that she enjoyed him being there, which is why he was a bit concerned as to where this conversation was going.

"But, I just need to say this. Ed...," she paused as she forced herself to look up at him, "what are we doing? What _are_ we right now?"

Ed stared at her briefly, dumbfounded. He had no idea how to answer her. "I-I don't understand what you're asking."

"Ed, yes, you do! You know what I'm talking about. I just need to know where we stand with each other. I mean, your confession at the train station was a little vague, you know."

"What? How was it 'vague'? I told you I'd give you half my life - I think that was pretty clear!" he exclaimed.

"But what does that mean? Does it mean that you... want to m-marry me?" She felt the heat sting her cheeks as she spoke those words, and to make it worse, a silence fell between them.

But, silence was the opposite of what was going on inside Ed's brain at that moment. What should he say to that? Of course, the true answer is "yes" and he could just say that, but this is not what he planned for. He was going to make it official - he had a ring and everything - but he just hadn't found the right time yet. He half-wished he had it now, and then he could just shove it in her face and be done with all this. But, it was somewhere in his room and he couldn't very well run off to get it.

He just couldn't say "yes" and make it official now! Because then, what would he say when he finally gave her the ring? It would be awkward, for sure. However, he wasn't going to say "no" either. When she had asked that question, he saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes, so he knew that would crush her. He didn't want to lie to her, anyway.

So, he just said what sounded best at the time. "Well... yeah, eventually, I guess." He grinned and chuckled half-heartedly, desperately trying to lighten the mood and maybe distract Winry from what he had just said.

But, his words were already replaying in her mind. She was happy. He did want to marry her. Just... not now or anytime in the near future, she supposed. Ed was glad to see that she finally smiled back at him, but he would be lying if he said he didn't see the slight disappointment in her eyes. He hated it. He wanted her to know the truth; he decided that she would very soon. He wasn't going to put it off any longer. In desperation to try and remedy the situation now somewhat, his hand reached out to grab hers and entwine their fingers. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and his eyes bore into hers; he hoped that maybe she would somehow be able to tell that he really was serious about her.

"Winry, I..." he began, but just then, they heard the telephone ringing upstairs.

"I should probably get that," Winry said quietly. He nodded and released her hand as she turned to quickly jog up the stairs to reach the telephone.

* * *

Later that day, as all of the members of the Rockbell household sat at the dinner table enjoying the well-cooked meal, Winry decided now was the time to share her news. She was nervous as to how they all would react, especially _him_, but she desperately tried to shake those feelings away. This was for the best. Winry would always love Edward - she knew that - but she also knew that she had to do what would make her happy since he obviously wasn't quite ready to make that full commitment. So, when she received that call earlier, it didn't take her long to make up her mind.

"Um, I have a bit of an announcement," she began, feeling timid but sounding confident, as almost always. Everyone at the table looked to her, waiting to hear what was to come next. "Mr. Garfiel called me today. Apparently, a lot of his customers really miss me and want me back. He... offered me a full-time position at his shop."

Everyone was still staring at her, but it was Ed's stare that she found she couldn't look away from. His eyes seemed to be questioning her, and she couldn't really understand why.

"Well, Winry," said Pinako, "that's a big opportunity, and you should feel proud of yourself. Don't hesitate to take him up on his offer if that's what you want."

Winry nodded. "I know, Grandma. That's why I think I want to go."

Ed's heart sank when he heard those words. He felt as if she was purposefully leaving him, and he didn't know why. Did what was said earlier have anything to do with this? He wanted her to be happy, but... _he_ wanted to make her happy. But, he obviously wasn't, and that killed him.

He couldn't let her go, at least not without him. He wanted to be with her, for good this time.

* * *

A/N: OK, so I've actually managed to throw a little bit of plot in here! I hope everyone is still liking this story, and again, I'm so sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter. I really hope I won't take this long again, but school is really kicking my ass right now. :/ Well, thanks for reading and please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Better Together**

A/N: After almost a year, I'm finally picking this story back up. I just really lost my inspiration for this, but I think I'm getting it back. I'm really sorry guys, but this is why I'm terrible with multi-chapter stories. ): But I still want to tell this story, so I'm going to try to keep at it!

* * *

**Chapter 4: "But I can try for your heart"**

After dinner, Ed and Winry didn't speak much, even though they both had so much that they wanted to say to each other, but they didn't know where or how to start. As the night went on, Ed decided that he couldn't keep this up - he had to talk to her and finally lay it all out on the line. He was nervous, but he refused to allow this rift that was developing between them to widen.

Winry was sitting at her desk in her bedroom, looking over some blueprints with only a small lamp giving off any light when she heard a knock at her door. She jumped slightly, but she called to whoever it was to come in. It was Ed.

"Winry," he said as he entered her room and closed the door behind him. "I... want to talk to you."

"About what?" she asked nonchalantly. She had a feeling she knew what this would be about, but she decided to feign ignorance. She had tried to talk to Ed about their relationship, but he insisted on remaining vague, so in her mind, the ball was in his court now.

"About you leaving!" he exclaimed as if she should have immediately known that.

"Ed, what about it?" she questioned with a hint of anger in her voice. "You basically said it yourself that you didn't want a real commitment with me anytime soon, so why does it matter?"

"Because...," he began as he sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Because that's not entirely true. I... want to be with you, Winry!"

Silence fell between them as Winry tried to process what he had just said. Suddenly, she stood up from her desk and moved to sit beside him. "Then, why did you tell me that earlier?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know," he replied, looking down at his hands that were resting in his lap. "You make me nervous, alright? I can't explain it. It's like I don't know what to say to you sometimes."

Winry gently placed her hand on his knee, causing Ed to lift his eyes to meet hers. "You should just say how you feel. We should both do that."

Ed wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed it tightly, never breaking their eye contact. "You're right. So, tell me then, how do you really feel?" he questioned with a small smile.

Instead, she frowned slightly at him. "You first."

He chuckled a bit at that. Of course, he should have seen that one coming. Well, he wasn't going to back down, not anymore. "Fine," he said as he turned to face her. "I want you to do what makes you happy, and if that means taking that job in Rush Valley, then I won't stop you. But honestly, I don't want you to. I know that's selfish of me, but I don't care! I've been away from you for too much of my life, and I don't want to be away from you anymore. I meant what I said at the train station, and I'm ready to give you half of my life.

There, ya happy?" he finished after a few seconds of silence as he felt a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks, and he turned his head away from her.

"Ed...," Winry whispered as she tried to sort her thoughts and think of a decent response. She knew that now it was her turn to share her feelings, and she hated to admit it, but she was sometimes just as bad as Edward when it came to this sort of thing. Still unsure of what to say, Winry did what felt most natural to her in this moment: she clenched her fist and landed a hard punch right to his shoulder.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder. It really hadn't been that painful, but it was still unexpected.

"Ed! Why didn't you just tell me all of that in the first place? Instead, I've been going crazy wondering if you really felt the same way as me, and now I know that you do, and it's just annoying because you could have saved me a lot of stress!"

"Wait a minute, what about you? You could have just spoken up too, you know! I've been worrying, too. I thought the reason you took the job was because you didn't want to be with me!"

"No!" She paused to heave a sigh of both annoyance and relief in order to calm her nerves. "You really are dense when it comes to girls."

"No, you just make things unnecessarily difficult."

"Well, you certainly don't help the matter," she replied with a scowl which deepened when she heard Ed chuckling at her.

"So, are you going to open up to me, or are you just going to keep yelling?" he teased.

She jokingly rolled her eyes, and she couldn't stop the small smile that was creeping onto her face. As much as she enjoyed giving Ed a hard time, she really was happy to have heard those words from him. "Of course I want to be with you. I only took the job because I thought that maybe you still wanted to do your own thing for a while. I don't know; that seems stupid now. I guess I was just kind of mad, actually."

"...At me?"

"No," she answered with a sigh as she laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. "It's just that Al and Mei seem like they're the perfect couple, and I've been... in love with you for so long, and I just want us to be perfect, too."

"Well, they're not perfect, and we're not going to be either," Ed stated matter-of-factly. "We're all human. But I do know that I'm better when I'm with you than when I'm not."

Winry eyed him for a minute before smiling. "Yeah, I am, too. Ed... I don't want to move to Rush Valley now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. But I think I should at least go visit for a little while. Mr. Garfiel told me that many of my customers really miss me, and some are in desperate need of upgrades. I should help out, even if it's just for a short time."

A brief silence fell between them after that, so Winry spoke up again. "You can come with me if you want."

Ed looked at her, contemplating her suggestion. "Eh, I don't know. You know I'm not a huge fan of that town." Ed joined her in laying back onto her bed and crossed his arms behind his head.

"I know," she said, turning to face him and giggling as she recalled some of the incidents Ed had gotten into while there.

Ed tilted his head to look at the figure laying next to him. Winry had closed her eyes, and it suddenly dawned on him that she was wearing only her semi-sheer white nightgown.

And that they were alone in her bedroom. On her bed. In the middle of the night. Suddenly, Ed felt his nerves beginning to resurface. Ed felt his pulse quicken as he continued to let his eyes linger on Winry. He wanted badly to kiss her - something he never usually had a problem doing, but there was something about being here with her in this way that left him pondering whether he should do it or not. At that moment, Winry opened her eyes to look at him, and that's when Ed made up his mind. Propping himself up on one elbow, he leaned into her and softly pressed his lips against hers. Winry reciprocated the kiss, and when Ed began pulling away, she leaned up to meet his lips again.

Ed was surprised at her gesture, but he didn't pull away. She wanted more - he did, too, and her action was the push he needed. He kissed her back but this time it was more firm, and he reached one hand up to caress her cheek. Winry slowly laid her head back down on the bed, pulling Ed down with her and never breaking their kiss. Planting one hand beside her head, he leaned over her, his long hair falling around their faces. Winry parted her lips slightly, and Ed slid his tongue across her bottom lip before tasting the inside her mouth and feeling Winry's tongue meet his. After several more seconds of feverish kissing, they finally parted, but Ed remained leaning over her, and even though their lips had parted, their eyes hadn't.

Winry reached one hand up and ran her fingers through Ed's hair and smiled warmly at him. He had never kissed her quite like that before, but she didn't mind. In fact, she loved it. She honestly couldn't wait to do more with him, but she knew that they weren't quite ready yet. "I love you, Ed," she said softly.

He smiled back at her before replying, "I love you, too, Win." He gave her another quick kiss before laying back down beside her.

His thoughts returned to the issue of Winry leaving for Rush Valley, even if it wasn't a permanent move. He could just stay here and wait for her to return - it's not like a couple of weeks would be that big of a deal. But, the more he thought about it, the more he started entertaining her offer of coming along with her. It might be nice to get away with her for a little while. They'd never really gone anywhere together since Al had gotten his body back. Besides, he didn't have much else to do, and this would definitely give them more opportunities to be alone together. He wasn't quite sure if that was a good idea or not - he had had a hard enough time breaking off their kiss moments ago; he wasn't sure what would happen if they really were all alone with each other. But he didn't care; he wanted as much of her as she was willing to give. He was going to marry her.

Thinking of marriage, Ed remembered something very important that he had in his pocket. He wasn't sure why he had brought it in here with him; he just figured that maybe he should try keeping it with him in case the time was right. And as they lay there together, it suddenly felt right. They had just come clean about their true feelings for each other, so why not make it official finally?

Ed sat up and reached into his pocket, his hand fumbling as his nerves were getting to him again. But as he grasped the small box, he turned to look at her only to see that her eyes were closed again and her breathing had slowed. She was asleep.

He groaned inwardly as he laid back down beside her, but then he noticed her hand resting beside her head. He lightly traced his fingers over hers as a thought hit him. Maybe he hadn't missed his chance after all.

* * *

Winry awoke the next morning, blinking as she tried to adjust her eyes to the bright sunlight that was pouring through her window, and she suddenly remembered what had transpired the night before. She smiled as she heard Ed's words repeating in her mind. She was so happy - a little sad that now she would be leaving for a short time, but she knew it would be alright. She had work to do, after all.

She stretched and yawned as she sat up in her bed, but when she ran her fingers through her hair, she felt something snag a few strands of hair. She immediately pulled her hand out of her hair, not caring that a couple of strands were pulled out in the process, and her breath hitched in her throat as she laid eyes on the culprit.

It was a ring. A gorgeous, but simple ring.

Her heart was racing as she jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway into Edward's room that he shared with Al. Not pausing to knock, she swung the door open only to be surprised for the second time that morning.

"Ed! Why are you packing a bag?" she asked a bit frantically.

He turned to face her, a huge grin on his face. "I'm going with you! To Rush Valley."

Winry simply stared at him for a moment before racing over to him and practically jumping into his arms. Ed pulled her into a tight embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love it," she whispered, referring to the ring.

Ed knew what she meant, and he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. "Good."

* * *

A/N: Again, I'm really sorry about the super-long hiatus, but I'm hoping I can get this story back on track because I really want to finish it. Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading; please review! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Better Together**

A/N: Look at me - I'm being a responsible fanfic writer, and you know, continuing my fanfics. :D Hope you enjoy this installment!

* * *

**Chapter 5: "When the morning light sings and brings new things"**

"So, you really want to come with me?" Winry asked as she pulled away from Ed after what seemed like forever.

"Yeah! I went ahead and called the station - we could catch an afternoon train if you want."

"I don't know... Are you sure we should even go at all now that, well, you know?" she said, flashing the ring at him. If Ed really was ready to get married, then she figured they would probably need to start planning everything. They would have quite a bit to do, namely finding their own place to live. Winry was sure Mr. Garfiel would understand.

"Sure. I mean, I think that's even more of a reason for us to go," Ed stated.

"What do you mean? And what made you suddenly change your mind about going, anyway?"

"Well, uh...," Ed fumbled, getting a little embarrassed. "I just thought it'd be good for us... to, you know, go somewhere on our own, just the two of us."

Maybe he was right. Winry couldn't deny that the thought of being alone with Edward for quite some time was a bit nerve-wracking, but they were getting married. Being alone with each other and doing things on their own was something they needed to get accustomed to. Besides, Winry thought, it could be a lot of fun.

She smiled at him. "Alright. Let's take that afternoon train then."

* * *

"Well, I didn't want to say anything last night, but I really didn't want you to move, Winry," Al confessed after hearing the news from Ed and Winry. The two had revealed everything to Al and Mei, but they did leave out one detail: the ring, and the now official engagement. They weren't sure why, but they just wanted to keep it to themselves for the time being. They figured everyone would find out soon enough when they actually began planning a wedding. Gushing about such matters just wasn't something either of them wanted to do.

"Yes, I'm glad you won't be moving away as well," Mei stated.

Winry just smiled, her heart swelling at the reminder of how great her friends were. She hadn't even thought about the fact that moving away would mean seeing less of them, and now, that was another reason she was glad she wasn't moving.

"And Brother," Al said, turning to Edward, "I can't believe you're going with Winry to visit Rush Valley, especially since you hate that town."

"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me," Ed grumbled.

"Aw, I bet you'll have fun!" Al said encouragingly, patting Ed on the back. He really was glad that Ed was going with Winry. He just hoped that it would work out well, and Ed wouldn't do anything stupid. Rush Valley never did bring out the best in him.

"Have fun doing what?" came Pinako's voice as she entered the living room where they were sitting together.

Ed's face faltered for a moment at hearing her voice. He didn't know what she would think of all this, but he was going to have to find out.

But to his surprise, Winry spoke up before he had the chance. "I've decided to not move to Rush Valley, but I am going to visit for a short time, and Ed's going to come with me," she said with a bright smile. She knew that if Ed was in control of this discussion, he would probably end up pissing off her grandmother and ruining everything, so she had to take charge. Besides, she knew how to get her way with her granny.

Pinako saw that bright smile and immediately saw through it. She knew Winry was just trying to butter her up, so to speak, and she wasn't going to fall for it. She knew that Winry was well aware of how she would feel about her staying alone with a boy, even if it is Ed - she didn't like it.

"Well, I don't - ," Pinako attempted to voice her disapproval but suddenly stopped herself. She noticed Winry's hand resting in her lap, and something gleaming caught her eye. Winry never wore rings, so Pinako immediately knew what it was.

She sighed, but the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile. "Well, I don't see any problem with that. Just be careful."

Ed and Winry looked at each other in slight disbelief. What just happened? And they weren't quite sure what she meant by "be careful," but they had an idea; although, they chose not to think about that for too long.

* * *

Pinako, Alphonse, and Mei had seen Edward and Winry off at the train station. Winry, not wanting to be rude, couldn't help but invite Al and Mei to come along with them, but of course, they declined. Winry assured them that they won't be gone too long, but if they changed their minds, they would certainly be welcome.

Finally, that night, their train pulled into the Rush Valley train station, and Ed and Winry made their way to Garfiel's shop, their luggage in tow. While walking, Ed realized that he might not have as much trouble in Rush Valley as he thought since he no longer has an automail arm, just a leg. He would definitely be better at blending in now, and he sighed a sigh of relief at this thought.

"Oh, I'm sad to hear you that won't be staying for longer, Winry, but I'm glad you're here nonetheless!" Garfiel exclaimed after they finally met with him and told him the news. "And you brought some company with you, I see!"

Winry smiled. "Yes, I hope that's alright. I'm sorry I didn't let you know about everything sooner."

"Don't worry! It's fine! You're all grown up now; you've probably got a lot of other things besides work to be worrying about, hm?" Garfiel teased, as if he could tell new developments had taken place between Winry and Ed.

Ed fidgeted a bit uncomfortably at hearing that, and Winry blushed slightly - tell-tale signs that confirmed all of Garfiel's suspicions. "Well, thank you, Mr. Garfiel," Winry said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, thanks," Ed added.

"Well, let me show you where you'll be staying," Garfiel said as he began leading them up the stairs to a small studio apartment above the shop. The room had an adjoining bathroom, as well as a small kitchenette in the living area. However, the main thing Ed and Winry noticed was the presence of only one bed.

"Now," Garfiel continued as the three stood in the doorway of the room, "I'm sorry that there's only one bed, but I didn't know you'd be sharing a room with anyone, Winry. Not that it would've mattered because it's all I have, anyway. But, as you can see, there is a couch here also."

"It'll be just fine, Mr. Garfiel, don't worry," Winry said with a smile, trying to hide her bit of nervousness at this new situation. She should've expected something like this would happen, but honestly, she hadn't even thought about it.

"Yeah, I'm fine on the couch," Ed claimed, assuringly. He was lying, of course - he wasn't spending the next couple of weeks sleeping on a couch. Sure, he'd had plenty worse before, but those days were over.

"Alright then! It's getting late, so I'll leave you two to get settled. Good night!" They said their goodbyes to him as well, and Garfiel left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Winry exited the bathroom wearing her light blue nightgown, and she immediately noticed Ed sitting on the edge of the bed, also in his sleepwear which consisted of a white undershirt and plaid pajama pants.

"Uh, Winry," Ed began, "about the couch..."

"I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch," Winry replied, knowing instantly where he was going with that. She walked over and sat down beside him.

Ed paused, surprised. He didn't expect her to give in that easily. Suddenly, he felt a little nervous at the thought of sharing a bed with Winry that very night. "Are you sure?"

"Ed, we're engaged! It's okay if we share a bed. We used to all the time when we were little! But I know it's different now, and I just think that we should try to not... get too carried away, you know?" she said sheepishly and avoided eye contact with him. She still hated talking about things like this.

Luckily, Ed felt the same way - he turned his head away from her as well as a slight blush crept onto his cheeks. "Yeah, I know. We'll be fine."

Hearing that, Winry turned her attention back to him and beamed at him. "Yeah. Let's go to bed," she said quietly as she leaned in and quickly planted a kiss on his lips before moving away and climbing under the covers. Ed chuckled lightly as he too got into bed beside her and then reached over to turn off the lamp. Much to his surprise, he felt her arm wrap around his torso and she moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Ed," she whispered.

Ed smiled in the darkness before throwing his arm around her, pulling her even closer to him. He lightly kissed her head and then gently smoothed out her hair before replying, "Goodnight, Win."

Ed was surprised at how relaxed he was, his previous nerves having faded almost instantly. Winry's words on not getting too carried away since they were all alone and sharing a bed still played on his mind, though. He didn't want to do those things with Winry until she was ready. Hell, he wasn't even if sure if _he_ was ready. So, how hard could waiting really be?

Ed wanted to believe it'd be a piece of cake, but as he trailed his fingertips down her arm, he had a sneaking suspicion that he was going to be proved wrong.

* * *

A/N: So, they're finally getting more comfortable with each other and their feelings, but the idea of being intimate is still pretty nerve-wracking. Well, maybe something will have to be done about this later on. ;) This was kind of a short chapter, but it was basically just filler. We'll get back to some good stuff next time, I promise! Thanks for reading; please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Better Together**

A/N: It's been a little while since my last update, but not too long I suppose. And since today (technically, it's now yesterday D:) is **3. Oct. 11**, I got really inspired to finish this chapter and get it posted! :D Also, uh, the T rating comes in handy for this chapter. haha So, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6: "With only two, just me and you"**

It had been a little over two weeks since Ed and Winry came to Rush Valley, and much to Ed's surprise, he had actually been having a decent time. Winry worked in the shop for the large part of every day, but Ed hung around downstairs as well and spent his time talking to some of the customers (while trying to keep his automail hidden, of course, although at times it was futile) and studying some of the many alchemy books he had collected from his travels in the west. The latter was his focus today, as he had found one of his books to be particularly interesting, and he settled into one of the chairs in the shop and flipped open the book.

He had only been reading for a few minutes before a voice he knew all too well interrupted him.

"Ed!" Winry shouted from across the room. "Will you do me a favor? I need you to go get a few supplies for me."

He groaned and threw his head back. He should've seen this coming - Winry seemed to have been making him her personal assistant lately. "Ehh... I'm kinda in the middle of something here!"

"Edward Elric!" she yelled in frustration, slamming down the tool she was holding onto the counter. "Stop being so lazy and help!"

"Oh, dear...," Garfiel whispered to himself as he could already see where this was heading. Honestly, the two of them did this almost every day. At first, he had second thoughts about both of them being in the shop, thinking this sort of thing would be bad for business. But, as he noticed all of the grinning and chuckling customers, he realized that it seemed to have turned into a form of entertainment.

Ed slammed his book shut and threw it down on the chair as he jumped to his feet. In all of his life, Winry had been the only one to ever call him "lazy," (well, maybe Teacher had said it a few times when he was much younger) and while it used to enrage him, he found that lately, it almost amused him. But, he had to suppress a smile in order to keep up appearances.

"Lazy? Well, maybe I'd be more inclined to help if you'd stop being such a slave-driver!" he exclaimed.

Silence fell between them as Winry fumed, her brows furrowed in anger. She wanted to slug him with the closest tool, but she forced herself not to. She was around customers, after all. Finally, she sighed loudly. "Look, I've made a list of what I need. Are you going to help me or not?"

Ed frowned right back at her. "Fine, just give me the damn list!"

Now, a teasing smile replaced her frown as she walked over to him and handed him the small slip of paper. "Thank you," she said as she leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before turning abruptly and walking away. He blushed and his scowl disappeared, but the sound of snickering and a few "ooh"s from the customers reminded him that he was supposed to be angry, so he shot them a few glares, clutched the list in his hand, and left the shop.

Once he deemed he was far enough away, he grinned and chuckled at what had just transpired. He truly didn't mind running errands for Winry - sure, he was enjoying his book, but he knew he'd have plenty of time for that later. He was just getting a kick out of irritating her, and he had a feeling she was doing the same thing. But he didn't mind. When he thought about it, he realized that that was how they'd always been, and he liked it that way. His days were never dull with her, that's for sure.

Plus, he'd started noticing a slight trend during the time that they'd been there. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed like the more he pissed her off during the day, the more she wanted to make out with him later that night. And while the very thought of doing that with Winry used to make him pretty uncomfortable, they had both been realizing how much could change in just a couple of weeks when they were sharing a bedroom with each other. Suddenly, Ed was reminded of just a couple nights ago.

* * *

_"So, this one customer today had an almost completely busted arm - I thought I'd have to replace the whole thing! I mean, it was like he hadn't done maintenance on it in forever. I still can't believe it was working, although barely." Winry was recalling some of the day's events to Edward, like she did almost every night. He sat on the sofa doing his best to listen and seem genuinely interested, but he cared about automail just as much as she cared about alchemy - not a whole lot. She exited the bathroom and walked toward him as she spoke, wearing a pale green sleeveless nightgown that fell a little past her knees, her long hair now free of the ponytail that it had been in all day, and she came to sit next to him on the sofa. Even after all this time, he still managed to be taken aback by her. Whether it was her presence, her beauty, he wasn't quite sure; he just knew there was something that made his pulse quicken. _

_"Speaking of, how's your leg?" she asked as she placed her hand on his knee. "Seems like it's been a while since I last did maintenance on it."_

_"It's fine," he assured her as his hand grasped hers. "But I guess you can look at it later."_

_She smiled at him and laid her head against the back of the couch. There was silence for a moment before she untangled her hand from his and reached up and began running her fingers through his ponytail. "What made you stop wearing your hair in a braid?" she asked softly. _

_He shrugged. "This is easier. Besides, I figured I look more mature this way," he answered with a small grin. _

_"Hm, I guess so," she said teasingly. Then, she gently pulled the hair band out of his hair, his blonde locks now falling around his shoulders. Ed said nothing, just watched her face as she lightly ran her fingers through his hair, working out any tangles. She tenderly raked her nails across his scalp, which sent a small shiver down his spine. He slowly leaned in closer to her and planted a feather-light kiss on her lips. Winry pressed her palms against the back of his head and neck and pulled him even closer and reciprocated the kiss but this time, it was more firm. _

_That was all the invitation Ed needed as he began to kiss her feverishly, and he brought his hands up to cup her face as he kissed her. She opened her lips against his, and he did the same, their tongues meeting and exploring inside each other's mouths before they finally found a nice rhythm with each other. Ed slid his hands down her shoulders and down to her waist before running his hands up her back against the silky fabric of her nightgown, relishing in the feel of her being in his arms. _

_Their lips finally parted, but Ed didn't want to stop. He wanted more of her. His mouth moved to her neck and he kissed her there, hesitantly at first but when he felt her shiver against him, he knew to continue. He planted kisses all along the slope of her neck, pausing ever so often to lightly slide his tongue across her skin. Winry let out a quiet moan, and Ed lifted his head to capture her lips again in a heated kiss. She untangled her hands from his hair and began sliding them down his shirt-covered chest, feeling his defined muscles through the fabric. Before either of them could process what was happening, Winry had begun leaning back and pulling Ed with her until she was finally laying down on the sofa with Ed on top of her. But, neither of them stopped. _

_Ed's mouth moved to one of her ears, gently biting and licking her earlobe but being careful of her many earrings. Winry's hands moved even farther down his chest until she found the bottom of his t-shirt and slipped her hands underneath it. Ed jolted slightly at the feel of her soft hands against his abdomen but relaxed against her touch. Everything was happening so fast, it was like his senses had been kicked into overdrive and his mind felt hazy. His lips went back to her neck once again, this time moving lower to her collarbone, and he ran his hands down her arms before resting at her waist. Winry, attempting to get more comfortable, bent her legs slightly and parted them so that he was between them, not noticing when her nightgown slid up, revealing more of her creamy legs. She removed her hands from under his shirt and wrapped her arms around his neck once more. Ed leaned up and their lips met again, still as passionate as ever. His hands slid down over her hips, and he gently squeezed her thighs before moving them back up to her stomach and then even further until they very lightly moved across her breasts. _

_Winry gasped softly against his mouth, and it was as if that sound immediately brought Ed crashing back down into reality. He froze, breaking their kiss and realizing the position they were in and what was happening. He honestly didn't want to stop, but his nerves couldn't handle the thought of what would happen if they kept going. _

_"Uh, Win... I'm sorry," he said as he struggled to catch his breath. _

_"I-It's okay, I'm sorry, too..." She wasn't exactly sure what made him stop, but even though a part of her was a little disappointed, the other part of her was relieved because if he hadn't, she wasn't sure that she would have. _

_Ed pulled away from her and sat back on the couch, and she sat up as well. He didn't know what to say; he didn't know if she had gasped because she was enjoying it or because he had done something he shouldn't have. He feared it was the latter. _

_"I just... I don't know what came over me; everything was happening so fast," he tried to explain. _

_"Ed," she said as she reached out and held his hand, "I know, it's fine. You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I... rather liked it." He noticed her flushed cheeks became even redder. "But I'm sort of glad that you stopped because I don't think I would have stopped you."_

_"Winry, I thought staying here with you would be easy, but it's not. Even though I'm really nervous, I... I want you... all of you," he whispered, and now it was his blush that was deepening. "But not until you're ready to share it with me!"_

_Winry smiled warmly at him. "I know. I told you I'd give you all of my life, didn't I? Even though I was embarrassed, I meant it. And this isn't just hard for you, you know! I want you, too... But I'm just nervous. Obviously, I've never done this before, and I mean, what if... what if I, you know, get pregnant?"_

_To her surprise, Ed simply shrugged his shoulders. "So what?"_

_"What do you mean, 'so what'? This is serious!" she exclaimed. _

_"I know it's serious, but you're acting like that would be a bad thing!"_

_"Well... I guess it wouldn't be." She honestly hadn't thought about it until now, but now she couldn't figure out why not. They were going to be married; having children was just a natural progression. _

_"Of course not. I mean, to be honest, the idea of being a parent scares the hell out of me, but I know I'll be fine if you're there. After all we've been through, I know we can handle anything," he said reassuringly, and Winry couldn't help but wonder when Ed had become the voice of reason. But, it made her smile because she believed him. She trusted him, and she knew everything would be alright. She had been afraid that they were moving too fast, but now, she realized that it didn't matter. They had been together all their lives, and they always would be._

_"Thank you," she said quietly as she threw her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I love you, Ed."_

_Ed smiled and embraced her as well. "I love you, too, Winry."_

* * *

Ed was thankful for what took place between them that night. He felt like a weight that he didn't even know he was carrying had been lifted off him. For much of his life, his focus had been alchemy and trying to return Al to his body. During the two years after Al got his body back and before they set off on their travels, he and Winry had some time together, but most of his focus was on nursing his brother back to health. And, then, for another year, his focus was primarily on traveling, but that's why he proposed to her before he left. He wanted to know that she would be there when he returned, and he wanted her to know that she was who he wanted to return to. Now, finally, his focus was Winry. He wanted to experience everything with her, and he knew that they were ready for anything.

When Ed finally made his way back to the shop with Winry's supplies in hand, he was shocked to see two familiar faces inside the shop. It was Al and Mei.

"Ed!" Winry exclaimed excitedly from behind the counter. "Look who decided to surprise us with a visit!"

"Brother!" Al said happily before greeting his brother with a quick hug.

"Hey, Al, Mei! What made you decide to come out here?" Ed asked, wearing a big smile. He really was happy to see them. It had only been a couple of weeks, but it seemed longer than that for some reason.

"Things were a little slow back home for the time being, so we decided to just surprise you two," Al replied.

"And, we wanted to make sure you two were doing okay out here all by yourselves," Mei teased.

"Well, of course we are!" Ed retaliated.

"Yeah, besides Ed driving me crazy on a daily basis, I'd say we were pretty fine," Winry said jokingly. Everyone laughed, of course, except Ed.

"Well, hey," she continued, "I'm almost done here for the day, so we should all go eat dinner together. We know a good place."

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Al and Mei agreed.

* * *

The four young adults spent dinner catching up on everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks since Ed and Winry had left. Winry was especially interested in hearing how her grandmother had been doing - she couldn't help but worry a bit since Pinako was definitely getting older - but Al and Mei assured her that everything back home was fine.

It was also on this night that Ed and Winry decided that they didn't want to keep a secret from Al and Mei any longer. Or, rather, Winry decided. She had flashed them her ring, and they immediately knew what it meant. Of course, they were ecstatic, especially Al. He was so proud that his brother had finally gotten the courage to do it.

"So, have you decided on a date?" Mei questioned both Ed and Winry.

"A date?" Ed asked immediately. Winry had been doing most of the talking regarding the engagement, and as a result, Ed had stopped paying much attention after the original announcement. He still didn't care for discussing this with others, anyway.

"She means for a wedding, dummy!" Winry hissed at him, before turning her attention back to Al and Mei. "But, no. We, uh, haven't really talked about that."

"It'll be soon," Ed remarked nonchalantly.

"Soon?" Winry turned back to him in confusion. They hadn't even discussed it, so what was he talking about?

"Well, yeah. Why not?"

"No reason. I just didn't know that you had even thought about it," she said.

"Well, of course I have. It's April now, so I'm thinking in the fall. October, maybe," Ed said. Truthfully, he wished it could be sooner, but he had something that he needed to do first.

He couldn't help but notice the look his brother gave him when he mentioned that month. It was just a small smile, but it spoke volumes. Al knew the significance of that month, but he thought that would be a perfect time for Ed and Winry to get married. Not that they would ever forget about what took place then so long ago, but to symbolize that they were finally starting anew and allowing themselves the happiness that they deserved.

Ed felt Winry eyeing him as well, and she placed her hand on top of his that was resting on the table. "I-I'd love that," she said quietly. He took her hand in his and simply smiled back at her.

After a moment or two, Al decided to change the subject and before long, the four of them were talking and laughing once again. Al was thrilled that he and Mei had decided to visit because he was so glad to finally see his brother and Winry together like this. To anyone else, they would probably seem almost like they always had, maybe slightly more affectionate, but Al had known them all of his life. He knew them better than anyone. He could tell that they were closer than ever, and that they were both truly happy. And, Al was truly happy for them.

* * *

A/N: Well, I wanted to get this posted on the actual 3rd, but it's 2am, so it's really the 4th now. :( But oh well, close enough! Thanks for reading, please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**Better Together**

A/N: Ok, I'm just not even going to apologize anymore because it doesn't matter at this point. lol But in all seriousness, come hell or high water, I will finish this story. I can't promise that I'll do it an anything resembling a timely manner, but it will happen. If it helps any for now, this chapter is extra long!

Anyway, as you may have noticed, the rating went up. That means there is some sexual content in this chapter; however, I personally don't think it's anything too explicit. But, a fair warning: this "lemon" may not be exactly what you're expecting... Basically, I guess you could say that I'm taking a more realistic approach to first-time sex than what you usually see in fanfics. :P Alright, on to the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 7: "We'll look at the stars when we're together"**

Al and Mei stayed in Rush Valley for a couple of days before catching a train back to Resembool, and although their visit was short, it had been enjoyable for the four of them and very much appreciated by Winry and Ed. Winry especially was glad to have had them there because she felt it reassured her of some things she had been pondering for quite some time.

Winry's affinity for the town of Rush Valley was no secret - she really did love the place. She felt like she fit in there and that she was not only accepted but truly appreciated and loved. Of course she was greatly loved in her home town, and she knew that, but to be so admired in a big city like Rush Valley was a wonderful feeling. Because of this, Winry would be lying if she said she hadn't often thought of living here one day. Even now that her engagement with Edward was official, just being here with him over the past couple of weeks, she couldn't help but still contemplate on the possibility of them living and raising a family here.

Winry and Ed had been quite comfortable during their stay here, and the short time that Al and Mei were visiting had been fun. The four of them had spent much time exploring the town together, visiting shops and trying out new restaurants. It was nice, but suddenly, Winry was feeling differently about the bustling city life she had come to love. She found herself wishing they could sit outside under a tree somewhere, or even go swimming in a river. But, none of this was possible in a place such as Rush Valley. It dawned on her that maybe raising a family here wasn't what she wanted at all. Her childhood had been laced with difficult times and she felt she had to grow up fast, and she knew none of what she felt could even compare to what Ed and Al went through. But, her most fondest memories were of the times the three of them spent together growing up in Resembool. Those times were the brightest spots of her childhood, and she knew they felt the same.

No, Resembool was where she really belonged; she felt sure of it now. They all belonged there. Rush Valley was a great place, and she would probably never stop visiting, but it wasn't _home_.

With this in mind, she realized it really was time for Ed and herself to return home as well. There was much to do, and it was getting about time for automail to take a bit of a backseat for a little while. After cleaning up her work station as the shop closed for the night, she decided she better go ahead and speak to Garfiel about it.

"Mr. Garfiel?" she said as she approached the man who was polishing one of his tools. "Have a minute?"

"Of course, dear! You know I always have time for you," he replied warmly, as always.

Winry smiled in return. "Well, unfortunately, I think it might be time for Ed and I to head back home soon. I'm sure we've overstayed our welcome by now anyway," she joked.

"Oh, not at all. In fact, I hate to hear that you're already ready to leave. You know everyone hear loves you and your work."

"I know," she said with a bit of a sad smile. "But we have been here a couple of weeks now, and as you know, it was never meant to be a long stay. But I appreciate everything you've done for me, for us. I love working here, I really do... but Resembool's my home and Rockbell Automail has always come first for me."

"Don't worry, I understand. And thank _you_ for all the help you've been here. I'll be hard pressed to ever replace you, you know!" Garfiel insisted.

"Oh no, surely you've forgotten the kind of city this is!" Winry spoke with a laugh, always a bit embarrassed when it came to accepting compliments, before turning to walk towards the staircase. "Well, I suppose I'll let Ed know so he can get tickets for a train in a couple of days."

"Alright, and you better remember to invite me to the wedding!" Garfiel said casually, but of course it caught Winry totally off-guard.

She turned to face him again, eyes wide. "How did you know we were engaged?"

Garfiel chuckled loudly, a big smile stretched across his face and there was a twinkle in his eye. "I didn't, but I do now."

Winry's shocked expression faded into a smile and then she couldn't help but laugh. "Well, be on the lookout for that invitation then!"

* * *

Needless to say, Ed was pleasantly surprised to hear that Winry was ready to return to Resembool soon. He had actually enjoyed their time in Rush Valley much more than he thought he would, but he was looking forward to being back home. He had a lot he needed to do before the wedding, after all.

"About time," he teased her after she told him the plan as they walked down the street that evening, having just finished dinner at a nearby restaurant. "I'm getting tired of being around all this automail all the time."

She rolled her eyes at him. "No one forced you to come, Edward!"

"I'm kidding!" he exclaimed, wearing his trademark grin as he threw his arm around her shoulders as they continued walking together. "Nah, I'll admit, it hasn't been that bad actually. And being here with you hasn't been that bad either."

Suddenly, just as those words came out of his mouth, he was met with a sharp elbow to the ribs and Winry slipped herself out from under his arm.

"Geez, woman! What'd you do that for?" he yelped, clutching his side.

"Because! Why would you even think that being with me would be bad in the first place?" she shouted.

"Can you not take a joke?" he retorted. That didn't seem to be the response Winry was looking for, however, as she simply folded her arms over her chest and continued to frown at him, so he sighed loudly and continued. "You know I've loved being here with just you, so I don't even know why you're doing this."

In an instant, her frown was replaced with a smirk. "'Cause I just wanted to hear you say it." She giggled upon seeing that he was now the one with an annoyed expression, but she quickly grasped his hand, forcing him to walk with her once again. "Come on, let's go sit on one of the benches in the square for a bit."

Ed let out a pretend groan and mumbled an "alright," but he entwined his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand gently and allowed himself to be pulled along down the sidewalk.

When they made it the town square, the sun had finally finished setting and night was beginning to set in as darkness encompassed the sky and the nearby street lights turned on. It was warm for a spring night and as a result, there were still quite a few people out and about - many vendors were still open and some people seemed to have had the same idea as Ed and Winry and were mingling in the square. But, Winry led Ed to a somewhat secluded bench around the small fountain in the center.

"I can't lie - I really do love this city and I'll miss it," Winry said with a sigh as they both sat down.

Ed casually stretched out his arm across the back of the bench behind her, and she leaned into him. "I know, but it's not like you're never coming back. You can visit as much as you want," he assured her, moving his arm down so that it wrapped around her shoulders.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just... you know, I've spent so much time here while you and Al were out trying to get his body back and when I was doing my apprenticeship. I got really comfortable here, and I couldn't help imagining the possibility of permanently working and living here," she explained.

"Well, I mean, if that's what you really want...," Ed started to say, not sure how he should feel about the direction this conversation was going.

"No, that's just it - it's not what I really want. I realized that recently. I might've gotten used to it here, but Resembool's still home and I don't think anything can ever replace that. I don't know why... Maybe it's because I don't ever want to let all the memories from our childhood spent there go."

"I don't think that's why. It's not that you're hanging on to the past," Ed replied, tilting his head to look at her as he spoke. "You just realize how great of a place Resembool is to live and grow up. I've traveled all over and seen plenty of amazing cities, you know, but I always found myself wishing I was back home. Sure, it's not as fast-paced and exciting as it is in other places, and maybe it's just me, but I think that's what's better about it."

Their eyes met and Winry smiled up at him, nodding in agreement. "It is. I can't imagine what it would've been like to grow up here instead, and I want... our kids to be able to have memories like ours."

He smiled in return upon hearing her words, never breaking their eye contact. "Me too," he said quietly. After a few seconds of silence, he turned away and playfully squeezed her arm. "Face it, Winry, we're just not big city people."

"I know, you're right," she said with a laugh. "Hey, Ed, I've been thinking about what you said that night we were out with Al and Mei, and - are you sure? About October, I mean." She spoke hesitantly, knowing that this was possibly a delicate subject.

Ed shifted a bit, not sure how to answer, but he chose his words carefully. "Yeah, I'm sure," he answered softly but in a serious tone. "For so long, that time served as a reminder for Al and I to keep moving forward because we didn't have a home to return to. But, that's over now. Now, I have a home, or will have one. It's not that I want to erase the memories of what happened; it's actually quite the opposite. That day is important to me because it ultimately led me here, but I want it to be important to me in a different way now. I want that day to be a reminder of how far I've come, we've all come. A reminder of all of the challenges we went through but despite them, we made it. Al has his body back and I'm here... with you. And it's all because of that day, because we kept moving forward."

Winry stared at him in silence, taking his words in, and he turned his head to meet her eyes once again. She didn't know how to respond, so she decided to just do what she felt at the moment. She suddenly leaned in and kissed him, pressing her hand gently against his cheek, her fingertips brushing against his bangs that fell in his face. Ed was surprised, not only that she initiated the kiss but that she was also kissing him in public, but he immediately relaxed against her. Typically, showing affection in public made him very uncomfortable, but it was dark out and he found it hard to care when her lips were already on his. Winry put all of her love for him into that kiss, and she hoped he would know it. He moved his free hand up to rest against the side of her neck, his thumb rubbed against her jawline, and he deepened the kiss.

After a few seconds, they broke the kiss but they didn't let go of each other and Ed rested his forehead against hers. "What was that for?" he spoke a bit breathlessly but a shy smile graced his features.

"Because... you just make me so happy," Winry whispered as she stared into those golden eyes and her cheeks flushed from the slight embarrassment of being so direct. "I'm going to be honest, Ed. It sounds silly now, but there were times when I thought I was never going to have you back - you or Al. Times when you just seemed so distant. So, I don't know... I'm just happy."

He smiled warmly at her and gently pushed her bangs aside to plant a single kiss on her forehead before leaning back against the bench. He let his hand fall to rest on her knee while still keeping his other arm around her shoulders, and she placed her hand on his. "I was never going anywhere. How could I've? You had my arm and leg, remember," he half-joked, a teasing look in his eye. "And you still have my leg."

She laughed lightly and playfully smacked his knee. "I better have all of you!" she blurted out but immediately regretted it, realizing the possible meaning behind those words, and a deep blush set in across her cheeks. Unfortunately, one look into Ed's wide eyes told her it was too late to take it back now.

Suddenly, he burst into laughter, and Winry frowned, having serious flashbacks to that day at the train station over a year ago. She should really learn to stop blurting out such embarrassing things, even if they were her true feelings, she figured. Ed sensed her frustration and forced his laughter to die down but still wore a large grin on his face, and then did something a bit unexpected - he gave her a quick, chaste kiss on the lips.

"You do," he assured her.

* * *

Winry reclined against the headboard of the bed they had been sharing, idly fiddling with the hem of her nightgown and listening to the sound of running water in the bathroom. She couldn't stop replaying the night's earlier events in her mind; she was overcome with emotion from it all. She felt closer to Ed now than ever before, and she couldn't believe she had ever doubted their relationship for a second. All she wanted now was to be near him. The shower turned off, the sound interrupting her thoughts, and Ed exited the bathroom wearing only a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants and a towel over his now wet hair. Even after all of the times Winry had seen him in nothing but his underwear, she could still be flustered at the sight of him, especially now. He was no longer the short boy she once knew; he was a man.

He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and began attempting to towel-dry his hair, but Winry silently moved to kneel behind him, taking the towel in her hands. He dropped his arms, letting her do as she pleased, and smiled to himself at the thought of how she's always seemed to love his hair. He wouldn't complain, though-there was something so relaxing about the way she was rubbing the soft towel onto his scalp and then gathering the ends of his hair into it, squeezing out the excess water. He sighed audibly in contentment, eliciting a small laugh from Winry.

"Feel good?" she asked with a lightheartedness in her voice. She knew the answer.

"Yeah," he replied, a bit sheepishly.

She hummed in satisfaction as she finished with his hair, it was as dry as it was going to get for the time being. She dried off any droplets that had managed to slide down his back before tossing the towel onto the floor. With that out of the way, his back was now completely bare to her, and she immediately took notice of the large scar on his shoulder blade, marking the place where his automail used to be. She had seen it before, but it still managed to catch her by surprise. She gently fingered the skin there, lightly tracing her fingers along the outline of the scar.

"It's amazing," she marveled.

"What is?" he questioned, trying to hold back a shiver at the feel of her feather-light touches.

"Just that... I saw firsthand that your arm was literally gone, and yet here it is..."

Ed chuckled softly. "That's what you said the first time you looked at it."

"I know, but still." At that, Winry decided to break her train of thought, not wanting anymore images of the young boy with his bloodied flesh and missing arm to fill her mind. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his back and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent as she did so.

Ed was a bit surprised, but almost immediately relaxed in her hold. "Winry...?" he whispered, bringing his hands up to caress her arms. He was a bit worried that she might have been suddenly upset, and she heard that in his voice. Instead of answering, she planted a tender kiss against his neck. She didn't know what had come over her; all she knew was that she wanted to be as close to him as possible. It was a desire she could no longer resist, and her lips trailed even more light kisses against his skin. This time, Ed couldn't hold back the shudder as it ran up his spine.

He shifted so that he could see her, causing her to loosen her arms around him in the process, and in an instant, their eyes met and he was no longer thinking, only acting. He crashed his lips against hers and cradled her head in his hands. Winry practically melted into the kiss as she tightened her hold around his neck and parted her lips against his, urging him to deepen the kiss. Ed more than willingly complied, opening his mouth against hers, their tongues meeting and moving together rhythmically. Winry could feel her heart racing at the intensity of it, and she couldn't stop herself from moaning softly against him.

Suddenly, Ed broke the kiss and brought his lips to her neck, moving his arms to wrap around her waist, pulling her even closer. He kissed and sucked gently at her skin, and his hands gripped her waist, feeling the curves of her body underneath the gown fabric. He wanted even more of her, and Winry seemed to sense this as she closed her eyes and tilted her head, allowing him better access, and tangling her fingers into his still damp hair.

Ed grasped her hips, pulling her onto his lap in one swift movement, her legs wrapped around his waist and her body was pressed against his. He lifted his head to capture her lips once again in a heated kiss and Winry gladly reciprocated, untangling her hands from his hair to let them fall to his chest, her fingers lightly feeling the supple muscles underneath his skin. She felt like her body was on fire, but the last thing she wanted to do right now was stop. She didn't want to think anymore; she just wanted to lose herself in the swirl of emotions that were welling up inside her and the feel of being in Edward's arms.

Winry pulled away slightly, both of their breathing labored as they struggled to catch their breath, and then blue eyes met gold ones in an intense gaze. They were both searching for any sign as to what the other was thinking, feeling.

"Winry...," Ed breathed. She nervously averted her eyes as her hands suddenly dropped to her thighs, gathering up the bottom of the nightgown in her fists. She hesitated briefly before finding her resolve again, and Ed could have sworn his heart stopped for a moment as he watched her slowly pull the clothing over her head and toss it aside.

Her long hair fell over her now bare shoulders, and although she felt incredibly exposed and embarrassed, she made no move to cover herself. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, but she still lifted her gaze to meet Ed's once again. His eyes were wide and he swallowed hard, briefly taking in the sight before him, before abruptly pulling her back into a tight embrace. His slid his hands up her back, relishing in the feel of her being pressed against him, her skin on his.

"Y-you're so beautiful," he whispered into her ear, mentally cursing his nerves. Winry beamed at his compliment, and he couldn't see her expression at the moment but he could feel her appreciation as she pressed her face against his neck and hair, returning the embrace and giving him a light squeeze.

Everything after that became a blur. Feeling even more spurred on by Winry's actions, Ed effortlessly laid her down on the bed, bringing himself down with her. He wasted no time in allowing his hands to roam her body, enjoying the feel of her curves filling his palms. Their lips met again and again, Ed's only leaving hers to move to her neck, her collarbone, her breasts. Her soft moans filled the air as she arched her back against him.

Soon, she was aware of his touches moving further down her abdomen until they lightly slipped between her thighs, the only thing separating his hand from her being the cotton fabric of her underwear. Still, she couldn't help but gasp at the sensation, her hips wiggling a bit against him. Her little noises and movements served to fuel Ed's confidence, and all he wanted was to hear and feel more of her.

He kissed her deeply, and Winry paid no mind as she felt his fingers hook the band of her underwear and hesitantly tug them down her legs. But when his eyes fell upon her now completely bare figure as he paused to breathe, he felt his nerves bubbling up once again. Before he could be overcome with his doubts, Winry threw her arms around his neck, jerking him back down and her lips hungrily kissed at his jawline. He touched her heated and sensitive skin between her legs, his fingers fumbling at first, but soon, the soft sounds she emitted were guiding him.

Winry was in a daze as she succumbed to the feelings he was evoking from her, any insecurities slipping away from her the better she felt. But after a few minutes, she decided it was simply teasing as her desire grew even more than she thought possible. She didn't think as she abruptly pressed her hands against Ed's chest, stopping his ministrations and pushing him back so that he sat up on his knees, while she lifted herself up to meet him as well. Ed wanted to question her, but when she began eagerly running her hands over his chest and leaving heated kisses across his skin, eliciting a few pleased sighs from him, he didn't care anymore.

He entangled his hands into her hair, closing his eyes and allowing himself to only be aware of the sense of touch. The only remaining article of clothing between them, his pants, was soon gone, discarded by Winry herself. But, inexplicably, she found her previous boldness quickly dissipating. She had been so driven by her feelings but now it was as if her rational mind finally caught up with her. She swallowed hard, fighting her nerves as she brought her fingers down. Ed groaned at her touch, not being able to hold back the movement of his hips as her hand moved gently against him.

And then once again, she was laying back down on the bed with Ed leaning over her. He stared into her half-lidded eyes and flushed face, noticing the heavy rise and fall of her chest and the sound of her breathing. She was breathtaking and there was no part of him that wanted to stop, but he felt like all of his confidence he had been hanging onto was gone in an instant.

"Ed...?" she whispered, pulling him from his uneasy thoughts. She tried reading his expression, wondering if he was as nervous as she was at that moment.

Ed once again desperately tried to push his anxiety away as he kissed her intensely and began slowly pressing his body into hers. She immediately gasped into the kiss, wincing at the pain. Instinctively, her thighs tensed up, gripping his hips.

Ed lifted himself up by his hands to give himself better control, but he instantly noticed her pained expression, bringing his movements to a halt. "Winry! Ah, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, no, it's okay!" she assured him between shallow breaths. "Keep going, I'll be fine." Their eyes met and she saw his worry in them, but he simply nodded and resumed, forcing himself to continue moving slowly for her sake. Ed knew that the first time was supposed to hurt for a girl, but he had no idea how much or what to do about it. He also knew that there was a chance he would make her bleed, but he chose to push that thought furthest away. His mind was conflicted, concerned that maybe he was doing something wrong or that he didn't do enough for her beforehand, but also struggling to maintain any rational thought at the feel of her body squeezing him.

Unlike him, Winry's mind had already come back down to reality, her thoughts intently focusing on attempting to relax her muscles, wondering how she had gone from being so at ease to so wound up (both physically and mentally) in such a short time. Where she was once only aware of him and the way he was making her feel, she was now aware of everything, from the pain to the fact that it seemed unbearably bright in the room, which she identified a still lit lamp as the culprit. As the seconds dragged by, she felt some of the initial discomfort begin to fade, quietly crying out as she truly began to feel him.

He pressed deeper, further molding his body into hers, until he felt himself being met with some resistance, but eager to continue now that Winry seemed to be feeling better, he swiftly pushed past it. A surge of pain hit Winry and she whimpered loudly, but it subsided almost as soon as it came, the pleasurable sensations replacing it once again.

An intense feeling washed over both of them as Ed began to quicken his pace, his movements feeling less restrained. Winry moved against him, only encouraging him even more, when he suddenly became aware of how slick she felt. Glancing down between them as he pulled back slightly, he paused.

"Winry... uh, y-you're bleeding," he spoke apprehensively. He didn't know why he felt startled by this; he knew it was something that might happen, and his scientific mind told him it was just the female anatomy, but he had thought maybe it wouldn't be something that was noticeable.

"What?" she asked incredulously but soon saw for herself. "Ah-! Um, I'm sorry, uh... hold on, I'll be right back," she muttered, flustered and embarrassed as she suddenly shoved Edward back and scrambled off the bed.

"W-wait, Winry...?" Ed said weakly and to no avail as she ignored him, dashing into the bathroom and closing the door behind her. He sighed dejectedly, running a hand through his hair before climbing off the bed and finding a towel to clean himself. He found his discarded pajama pants and tugged them back on, feeling for certain that he had ruined their moment together. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything? He hadn't been trying to embarrass her; he just didn't know much about this sort of thing. The main thing that he knew from listening to stories from older men during his travels was that it was his job to give her a "good time" (as they, often rather crudely, put it), and he felt pretty sure that he had failed miserably at that task. He felt like his masculinity had taken a huge blow, and the last thing he had wanted to do was give Winry more unpleasant experiences.

Wasn't this the part that was supposed to be easy? It sure seemed like it when others talked about it.

Disheartened, he moved toward the window in the room and stared out into the night sky. Idly, he noticed the lack of visible stars in the sky, their glow masked by the lights of the city.

Winry sighed to herself as well as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror having cleaned herself off. She knew something like that was a possibility, since she was a virgin, but it had still managed to unnerve her and she had suddenly felt so self-conscious and embarrassed. It wasn't as if she could help it, she knew that, but still... she shouldn't have run away and left him like that. She had just made things even more awkward.

Still, she wondered what had changed between them so suddenly. At first, it had seemed like they were closer than ever. She had felt so comfortable with him, and she knew he had been feeling the same. It was as if they were completely in sync, and then in an instant, the feeling vanished, leaving her with unshakable nerves. But, why? They loved each other more than anything; wasn't that enough?

She quietly exited the bathroom, and seeing that Ed stood at the window with his back to her, she quickly grabbed her nightgown off the floor and pulled it over her head. He still hadn't turned to look at her, so feeling even more dismayed, she plopped down onto the bed, laying on her side facing away from him.

Ed had been so absorbed in his own musings he hadn't even heard her enter the room, but the squeak of the bed springs behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see her curled up on the bed, feeling crestfallen at the sight of her like that. He had to somehow rectify this situation, or at least attempt to. Wordlessly, he turned off the lamp and joined her on the bed, moving close and wrapping his arm around her, burying his face in her hair. He gave her a small squeeze as if to comfort her in some way.

"I'm sorry...," she whispered. "I wasn't any good at it, and I totally ruined the mood."

"What?" he asked in disbelief, propping himself up on his elbow so he could get a better look at her face, even though it was dark in the room and she still didn't turn towards him. "Are you kidding me? You were the only one good at it. And I just made things weird... _I'm_ sorry."

Finally, she turned her head to meet his eyes, her brow furrowed in agitation. "I was the one that freaked out and ran away! Not to mention I got blood on you! God, it's just all really embarrassing!" she exclaimed with a huff as she jerked her head away from him again.

Ed tried his damnedest to stop the grin that was forming on his face, but he couldn't and he burst into a small bout of laughter.

"It's not funny, Ed!"

"That's not what I'm laughing at! You're just... cute, Winry," he said with a light chuckle as he pressed a single kiss to the crown of her head. "I can't believe you'd actually think I'd care about any of that."

She didn't respond but tilted her head to look at him again, as if searching his face for the truth behind his words.

"You know I love you no matter what," he continued with a smile. "I just like being close to you."

"Well, I do too, Ed...," she said with a small smile of her own as she continued to look up at him. "That's why you don't need to apologize either. Up until I let my nerves get the best of me, it was... _you_ were really good." A slight blush formed on her cheeks, but she didn't look away.

His face tinted pink as well at her words. "Really...? 'Cause I had no idea what I was doing."

She giggled. "Well, I didn't either!"

"You had me fooled," he teased, gently tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, and then a sly smirk formed on his face. "You were sexy as hell."

Her face turned bright red and she flipped over to playfully smack his arm. "Ed!"

Upon seeing her shocked expression, he couldn't hold back his laughter. "What? It's a compliment!"

Winry tried to glare at him for laughing at her once again, but in a matter of seconds, she was laughing right along with him. Truth be told, she did take it as a compliment.

Elated that it seemed like the ice that had built up between them was finally broken, Ed wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled over onto his back, pulling her with him so that she lay atop him. Sighing happily as their laughter finally died down, Winry folded her arms across his chest, resting her chin on her hands so that her eyes met his.

"You always cheer me up," she said, smiling.

He smiled back at her and lifted one of his hands to lightly run his fingers through a lock of her hair. "Even when I piss you off?" he asked, a playful lilt to his voice.

She sighed over-dramatically. "Yeah, I guess..."

"I knew it!" he exclaimed jokingly.

Winry just teasingly rolled her eyes at him before laying her head down to rest on his chest, choosing not to humor him anymore. She'd always said that if you give Ed an inch, he'll take a mile every time. And besides, she was tired anyway, closing her eyes as her eyelids became heavy.

To her surprise, Ed had no more teasing remarks and he resumed his tender stroking of her hair. For a few minutes, the only sounds in the room were that of their soft breathing. "You feel okay, though, right?" he asked quietly, remembering that he had caused her a bit of pain earlier.

"Mm-hm, a little sore, but I'm fine," she assured him. "Let's get under the blanket." Her voice was muffled and sleepy, she could barely keep her eyes open any longer.

Ed silently complied and they curled up under the comforter together, laying so that they faced each other. He tightened his hold around her, pulling her to his chest, their legs becoming entangled, and she wrapped her arm around his waist. Ed lightly kissed her forehead as sleep started to overtake him as well, a feeling of deep contentment within him, wondering for the countless time why they ever doubt themselves.

And, for the countless time, he dreamed of the sprawling fields of Resembool and a home, where Winry was waiting.

* * *

A/N: I really hope I didn't gross anyone out by that. :/ I'm just all about keeping things realistic, hopefully it wasn't too realistic. haha OK, on another note, I feel the need to kinda explain myself here. One of the reasons this took so long was because I kept going back and forth on whether or not to have mature content in this story. I know I had planned on it basically since the beginning, but when the time finally got here, it's like I got cold feet. I was just really worried that it would seem like it didn't fit with the story, or like I was throwing sex in here for the hell of it, which isn't my intention. Then I just started questioning the entire plot of this fic (or lack thereof really), but I know that I said from the beginning that all I was doing was exploring Ed and Winry's relationship. And I guess I'm at least managing to do that. (whether I'm doing it well or not is another matter entirely, lol)

So, IDK. As you can see with this chapter, I've decided to just follow my original ideas, for better or for worse. haha Again, I really hope the sex doesn't seem out of place, and I'm sorry if it does, but it's too late now, I'm just gonna roll with it.

And like I said before, I'm gonna finish this! (unless everyone just tells me to stop :P) I plan on having about 3-4 more chapters, so surely it won't take too much longer. I will say that I'm gonna be traveling for the next 3 weeks, so any updates before then are really unlikely (as they pretty much would be anyway, knowing me), unless I just get the writing bug on the plane or something. lol OK, shutting up now! As always, thank you so much for reading and to anyone that actually wants to bear with me here, I love you. :D


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